Ataklan
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Ataklan

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Band World Singer/Songwriter

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"ATAKLAN"

Trinidad's answer to Beck? Ataklan is certainly the biggest new rapso talent around... - World Music: Latin and North America, Caribbean, India, Asia and ...: Volume 2 - Page 523


Discography

ATANOMICAL: 1998
1. Robber Intro
2. Mastlife
3. Rapso Blunt (ft Machel Montano)
4. Hyper Fan (Interlude)
5. Put It Up
6. Tiger Woods
7. Pananie (ft Machel Montano)
8. Spanish Fly (ft Karen Hinds)
9. Out Ah Mova
10. Flambo (Remix)
11. Rapso Blunt (Extended)
12. Outro

ATAMOPHISIS 1999
1. Weh it Come From (Intro)
2. Natural and Irie
3. Carnival Time Again
4. Naked Walk
5. Song Boy Killin (Interlude)
6. I'm ah Hero
7. My God Doh Sleep (ft Ras Shorty I))
8. Since Yuh Gone
9. Aye I Aye
10. Mountain song
11. De Hill
12. De Flood
13. All Star Show
14. Wise Old Bird (Interlude)
15. Equality Song
16. Spider Jam
17. Naked Walk (In De Garage)
18. Spanish Fly (Latin Mix)
19. Since Yuh Gone (Unplugged)
20. (Outro)

ATAVIVAL 2001
1. I Am Me
2. Plastic Bag
3. Election
4. Time Tuh Run
5. Guava Season
6. Rhumba
7. Pamela
8. Bim Bim (ft Andre Tanker))
9. Red House
10. Guava Season (Stones Mix)
11. Blessed Sheep

ONE MORVANT NIGHT (to be released 2012)
1. You are a Star (Love Reincarnation)
2. Caribbean Swagger
3. Lions Roar (ft Mistah Shak)
4. Tomorrow Today
5. Morvant Knight
6. Without You (ft Wippa Demus)
7. Soca Girl
8. Kingston Town
9. A Poor Man’s Dream (ft The Mighty Shadow)
10. Shadow in the Dark
11. The Sun Starts to Rise
12. Home (ft Bunny Rugs)

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Bio

Born Mark Antonio Jiminez, Ataklan is a Trinidadian singer/songwriter of exceptional talent considered a maverick in the modern Rapso tradition. Ataklan has been called the hope and future of Rapso - that genre of Trini music that has been called a cross between rap and calypso. Ataklan hails from the village of Chinapoo in the heart of Laventille- the urban community that was once the epicentre of Trinidad's Golden Age culture- and now is collapsing into zones of urban decay and gangland criminality. Ataklan's music has the twin blade of both these influences.

Ataklan sees himself as a modern incarnation of 'The Midnight Robber'; the marauding boasting masquerade from the Trinidad Carnival who spits incredible tales of prowess and supernatural power. What is clear is that Ataklan is one of the best lyricists, songwriters and freestylers not only in Trinidad but in the Caribbean at present. This is an artist rooted in his folk traditions but also at home with cutting edge modernity. He has been working with some of Jamaica's and Britain's top producers and DJs crafting a series of sonic experiments that have found a home on 2 albums due to be released this year.

Since his emergence 20 yrs ago, Ataklan has become synonymous with innovation and soul. He almost single-handedly continues to raise the bar of song-writing and musical production for Trinidad’s non-Festival music. His first music video for the song “Naked Walk”- a soulful nation-song that captures the essence of the post-Independence generation still reeling from colonialism- is regularly played on local television, resonating with all generations. Ataklan’s subsequent videos have all revolutionized Caribbean music video iconography.

Ataklan's stage performances are world class and visceral and he has a repertoire of dozens of anthems. His discography includes a series of duets with some of Trinidad's greatest musical Elders like the late Andre Tanker, the late Ras Shorty I, and The Mighty Shadow- as well as Caribbean giants like Sizzla Kalonji, Bunny Rugs of Third World, and Wippa Demus.